The dishonesty of a woman who continued to accept a salary from the NHS, despite her quitting a course, has caught up with her.

Natalie Davidson, from Maidstone, enrolled on a community nursing programme in September 2012 but left the course just four months later.

The 41-year-old, of Hadlow Close, must pay back more than £9,000 after she failed to highlight she had received around £18,000 from Kent Community Healthcare NHS Trust.

She continued to take the payments after leaving the role.

The trust learned of Davidson’s actions in January 2014, and on Monday, November 23, she received an eight month suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to retaining a wrongful credit at Maidstone Crown Court.

She was ordered to pay back £9,092.75 after Kent Police applied for a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The money will be returned to the NHS as compensation.

Financial investigator Jackie Lowdon of Kent Police said: "Nobody should be allowed to benefit financially from crime and we regularly use this legislation to make sure any money made from illegal activity is paid back.

"Natalie Davidson’s dishonesty caught up with her in the end and she must now return a significant portion of the salary she had no right to claim."